Ryanair calls on Ireland and UK to forgo 14-day self-quarantine rule

The airline has urged the Irish and British governments to abandon their 14-day quarantine restrictions.

The Irish-based Ryanair is Europe's largest budget airline.

DUBLIN, Ireland - Europe's largest budget airline Ryanair on Thursday called on the Irish and British governments to drop their 14-day quarantine measures for international arrivals, describing such measures "unimplementable and ineffective".

In a statement, Ryanair Group's CEO Michael O'Leary said that "14-day quarantines are ineffective and unimplementable. Requiring international arrivals to quarantine only after they have used multiple public transport providers to get from the airport to their ultimate destination has no basis in science or medicine."

"We strongly urge Europe's governments, especially those in Ireland and the UK, to mandate to the wearing of face masks for airline, train and underground passengers, as this is the best and most effective way to limit the spread of COVID-19 in public transport environments where social distancing is not possible," he said.

The statement said that Ryanair welcomes the European Union's recommendation on face masks and calls again on the Irish and British governments to abandon their 14-day quarantine restrictions.

Ryanair has announced that all passengers and cabin crew on board Ryanair flights will have to wear face masks or coverings when it will resume 40 percent of its flight service starting from July 1.